jigsaw

Jigsaws are incredibly versatile [2]. Compared to most power saws, they're very compact, portable, and inexpensive. It's true that they have a reputation of making rough cuts, but it's actually not hard to make precise cuts with a few tweaks.

Tips for making precise and smooth cuts [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

bevel cuts, miter cuts, etc [1] [2]
how to choose the correct blade [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
how to avoid blade deflection [1] [2] [3] [4]
how to make the cleanest cuts [1] [2] [3]
- disable the orbital / pendulum feature [1]
- blade oscillation speed — use the highest speed for soft woods and softer hardwoods, slower for dense hardwoods, and the slowest speed for plastics and metals
- choose a blade that's sharp, and has a higher tooth count and is thinner
- feed rate should be low
- for normal blades that cut on the upstroke, there will be more tear-out on the top side of the board than the bottom
- cover the board's top side with tape, or add a sacrificial board on top of the work piece [1]
- score the line before cutting [1] [2]
- use a zero-clearance base [1] [2] or a cross-cut sled or the like [1] or a jigsaw table [1] [2]
tips for cutting different materials
- plywood or other laminates [1] [2] [3]
- metal [1] [2]
- ceramic tile [1] [2]
- wood countertops [1] [2]
When buying a saw, barrel-grip jigsaws are easier to control than traditional "D handle" jigsaws.

Dust collection:

For tiny wood shops inside a residence, dust collection is absolutely critical. Unfortunately, jigsaws tend to produce a lot of dust.
Some jigsaw-specific dust-collection ideas: [1] [2]
Personally, I prefer a battery-powered jigsaw so that I can do some cutting outside, and thus sidestep the dust issue.